Universal Healthcare

Earlier this week, I testified in support of H.1026, An Act establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts, which was heard before the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance. I wanted to share with you my testimony on why I think a single payer model should be the next step in health care reform in Massachusetts – Tim.

“Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of H.1026, an Act establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts.

I am very proud of the work we have done here in Massachusetts to reform our healthcare system so that more of our state’s residents have access to high quality, affordable care. We have led the nation in our efforts to reduce the number of residents who are uninsured or underinsured, and have passed innovative and forward-thinking legislation that attempts to slow rising costs.

I am here today because I believe that it is vitally important that Massachusetts continues its national leadership in the area of healthcare reform. The next step for our state can and should be a transition toward a single-payer system.

A single-payer system will help us achieve many of the goals that we have for our health care in Massachusetts, and solve many of the problems we continue to struggle with under our current insurance and payment system. It would significantly enhance our ability to rein in health care costs, and would provide every single person in our state with high-quality, deductible-free coverage.

We already know how well Medicare works when it comes to delivering health care efficiently to millions of Americans. Private insurers simply cannot compete with government when it comes to minimizing administrative and management costs. And this legislature has already recognized the potency of the global payment model to reduce the cost of care and radically change the way providers think about how they approach health, wellness, and the treatment of illness. Single payer would rapidly accelerate our transition toward the global payment model.

I believe that we are ready for single-payer, that we need single-payer, and above all, that our state’s residents deserve a single-payer system.

I appreciate the consideration that the committee continues to give this bill and I thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of it today.”